PSYCHOLOGY, CHRISTIANITY, AND HEALING
Psychology, Christianity, and Healing: Annotated Bibliography
Dollahite, D. C., Marks, L. D., Witting, A. B., LeBaron, A. B., Young, K. P., & Chelladurai, J.
M. (2020). How relationship-enhancing transcendent religious experiences during
adversity can encourage relational meaning, depth, healing, and action. Religions (Basel,
Switzerland ), 11(10), 519. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel11100519
In the article, the authors talked about the important role religious experience play in
helping people overcome adversity. Specifically, the work conducted looked into the
benefit of religious experiences in marriages and family relationships. The authors
posited that transcendence, focusing others rather than self, can lead to restoration via
alienation. They continued noting the difficulties of studying transcendency. Their study
showed a positive correlation in regards to transcendancy and connectedness within
marriages and familiar relationships.
Emmons, R. A., Barrett, J. L., Hill, P. C., & Kapic, K. M. (2017). Psychological and Theological
Reflections on Grace and Its Relevance for Science and Practice.Psychology of Religion
and Spirituality,9(3), 276.
https://go.openathens.net/redirector/liberty.edu?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-
journals/psychological-theological-reflections-on-grace/docview/1954366653/se-2
The authors discussed the topic on grace and the lack of empirical inquiry into its effect
on people. They posit that divine grace has the potential for improving human life and
therefore has a place in positive psychology. However, the article does acknowledge that
that experience, if not the reality, of grace can and has been studied. The authors continue
by defining six perfections of grace: superabundance, singularity, priority, incongruity,
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PSYCHOLOGY, CHRISTIANITY, AND HEALING
efficacy, non-circularity. Their hope is to help reduce difficulties of future research by
providing definitions to grace as the term is used in both spiritual and secular sittings
across multiple cultures.
Falaye, A. O. (2013). COUNSELLING FROM THE CHRISTIAN POINT OF VIEW.Ife
Psychologia,21(3), 54-61.
https://go.openathens.net/redirector/liberty.edu?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-
journals/counselling-christian-point-view/docview/1439812922/se-2
The author went into details on what Christian counseling is and is not as well as
provides details on psychotherapry from a person who so happens to be a Chrsitian.
Then, the author goes into the how both are similar and how they are different. For
example, both a Christain counselor and a psychotherapist as a Christain will be
interested in getting to know their client, understand what motivates them and may use
Biblical scripture in their practice.
Though they are similar in many ways, they are also distinct. Christian counseling
utilizes counseling as a means of speaking Biblical truth and identifies wisdom as the
application of this truth. These truths should ultimately point the client into looking more
like Christ. Christian psychologists, on the other hand, tend to find their primary focus on
secular psychology with empirical data to support their theories and techniques.
Hook, J. P., & Hook, J. N. (2010). The Healing Cycle: A Christian Model for Group
Therapy.Journal of Psychology and Christianity,29(4), 308-316.
https://go.openathens.net/redirector/liberty.edu?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-
journals/healing-cycle-christian-model-group-therapy/docview/845620759/se-2
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PSYCHOLOGY, CHRISTIANITY, AND HEALING
This article discussed the topic of the Healing Cycle. The Healing Cycle is a model of
group theropy founded on Christian tentets. The model follows six steps: grace, safety,
vunerability, truth, ownership, and confession. Though on the surface, the Healing Cycle
sounds similar to Alcoholics Anonymous, it is different on a fundamental level.
Alcoholics Anonymous is group theropy where individuals can share their thoughts and
find support. The Healing Cycle, on the other hand, is a place where cross-talk and allows
integration.
Hunter, L. A. (2009). Epistemological Approaches to Inner Healing and Integration.Journal of
Psychology and Christianity,28(2), 101-104.
https://go.openathens.net/redirector/liberty.edu?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-
journals/epistemological-approaches-inner-healing/docview/237253877/se-2
Psychology and Christian counseling have been in tension due to their different
approaches. Psychology relies on empirical study while Chrisitian counseling relies on
Biblical principles and experience. One such case in their different wordviews is the role
sin plays in a person’s life. The Christian counselor will see sin a root cause for negative
behavior while the psychologist will look towards learning patterns and relational issues
as the root cause. Jay Adams attests that the word of God is the only source one should
look to when it comes to counseling as it is whole and complete. Powlison clams that
many Christian counselors will turn to secular psychology when the answer they seek is
not readily and easily made available in scripture. Both agree the point that scripture
provides everything needed to provide counseling to someone.
The integrative approach asks Christian counselors to balance emipirical findings
into their techniques. As mentioned above, this can be difficult to some to apply. The
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psychological worldview should not trump a Biblical worldview for a Christian.
However, it can lend truths to approaches on handling difficult situations.
Jayard, S. S., Irudayadason, N. A., & Davis, J. C. (2017). Healing ministry and palliative care in
christianity. Indian Journal of Medical Ethics, 2(4), 238-243.
https://doi.org/10.20529/IJME.2017.054
In this article to authors agrued the value of palliative care when it comes to life and
death. The authors posited that life begins at conception and because of this, the Christian
worldview on the sanctity of life, it is important to continue the work of palliative care to
bring about healing. Palliative care includes the typical roles of physician, nurses, and
psychologists. However, it also includes those who provide spiritual care such as
chaplains, pastoral workers, and spiritual counselors. The authors posited the sanctity of
live never diminishes, even on the brink of death.
Monroe, P. G., & Schwab, G. M. (2009). God as Healer: A Closer Look at Biblical Images of
Inner Healing with Guiding Questions for Counselors.Journal of Psychology and
Christianity,28(2), 121-129. https://go.openathens.net/redirector/liberty.edu?
url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/god-as-healer-closer-look-at-biblical-
images/docview/237246763/se-2
This article discussed the concepts of healing through a Biblical perspective and why
some Christian psychologist may feel underprepared to discern between practices that
adopt a Christian worldview and those that do not. The authors purpose the analogy that
Christians will go to a doctor for healing while thanking God, however, some are hesitant
to visit a therapist and rely on God’s healing.
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PSYCHOLOGY, CHRISTIANITY, AND HEALING
Furthermore, the artictle addressed the issue of writings about healing being
focused solely on aspect of healing and not on the character of God as the healer. When
we take God’s character into account we gain a more holistic understanding of healing
which includes inner healing. That is, healing of the mind and releasing burdens that have
been held on to.
Nygaard, M. R., Austad, A., Tormod, K., & Mæland, E. (2020). Religious Healing Experiences
and Earned Security.Pastoral Psychology,69(5-6), 487-507.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-020-00922-5
This article highlighted the affects of healing experiences for Christians as a means to
provide a sense of security and how pastoral care can benefit from it. The authors
underline a major issue with regards to documenting healing experiences, fear. For
people who have experienced divine encounters it can be difficult for them to share as
they fear others regarding such experience as unreliable. The goal of the authors is the
provide empirical evidence that divine healing can be life-changing. The attempt to do
this through understanding of the five defining aspects of attachment relationship:
proximity maintenance, safe have, secure bse, separation distress, and an attached figure
who is bigger and wiser. The results of their study showed healing moments were
intersubjective and contained three extraordinary qualities: God is love, God is
omniscient, and God is imnipresent.
Stewart, S. L. (2009). Foundations of Counseling and Psychotherapy: Evidence-Based Practices
in a Diverse Society.Canadian Psychology,50(3), 216-218.
https://go.openathens.net/redirector/liberty.edu?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-
journals/foundations-counseling-psychotherapy-evidence/docview/220806726/se-2
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PSYCHOLOGY, CHRISTIANITY, AND HEALING
This article highlighted the importance of utilizing multicultural differences in
psychotherapy. It continued with stating how a large portion of regulatory dictates where
founded under Western cultures and therefore, can lack an understanding of other’s
viewpoints. For example, what may be considered a mental illness in the Western world
may be the case elsewhere, or not to the same level of extremity. Additionally, the article
points out the need for psychotherapy to follow the findings of empirical research;
specifically with regards to mental health. However, it does causion that diversity of
application in different models needs to be addressed. For example, someone dealing
with anxiety with a Chinesse upbringing will need a different approach from some with
an American upbringing.
Wilder, E. J., Garzon, F., & Johnson, E. L. (2020). A Christian Multi-Modal Approach to
Therapy Utilizing Inner Healing Prayer: The Life Model.Journal of Psychology and
Christianity,39(1), 49-64.
https://go.openathens.net/redirector/liberty.edu?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-
journals/christian-multi-modal-approach-therapy-utilizing/docview/2509694088/se-2
The Christian church today lacks the understanding of the role the fruits of the Spirit, as
described in Galations 5, play in the healing process. Instead, they tend to rely on the
legalistic view of religion and miss the power that grace has on healing. The authors
argued that therapist should seek a more holistic approach using both psychological and
spiritual discipline to elicite healing in their clients. They continued using the example of
modern psychologists looking to empirical evidence of Buddism’s meditation and it’s
affect on healing; if Buddism, why not Christianity. Furthermore, they presented the case
for analyzing lay psychology that has been used in churchs and not discounting it simply
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for its lack of empirical evidence and there many case studies that can be used to trace the
value.
The authors presented the Life Model as the means through which one obtains
spiritual and psychological harmany by providing attachment to both God and persons.
Though the Life Model has been observed for over 30 years, it lack proper empirical
evidence. However, this alone should not provent its validity. According to the model,
God attachment is based on having a personal relationship with God that extends beyond
religious ceremony such a church attendance. This is achieved through spiritual
disciplines in daily life. One method used to realize this connection was through the use
of the Immanuel Prayer which relyed on counselors guiding their clients through
nondirective questions and prompts seeking the Holy Spirit to provide answers.
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